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Actually the 14th & 15th century (Middle Ages)... killing half the populations where outbreaks occured. But if you do a Google search, seems to be a like disease currently in Madegascar. Do further research if that's where you plan to visit.

I am looking at a current report - Bubonic Plague Outbreak in Madagascar - Most people in west consider Bubonic plague as something associated with the past. It has been reported that it was the disease that had caused the threat in the country and killed thousands of people in the Middle Ages, especially in the 14th and 17th centuries.

According to a new report, threat of Bubonic plague has again been emerged in Madagascar in 2013. About 39 people have been currently found dead with the same disease.

This threat of disease is not new as there were 256 cases of the plague around the African island the previous year. Out of 256 people suffering with same disease, about 60 were found dead, which has been declared as the highest rate in comparison to any other country.

Bubonic plague has been considered as serious problem in the 19th century. Because of the symptoms of the disease and the number of deaths that are caused, the Bubonic plague was declared as the Black Death in the 14th and 17th centuries.

At that time, mass graves were dug and red crosses were placed outside doors of the homes with the plague. This was a sort of awareness for people to remain away from plague sufferers. It has been recently reported in Madagascar that plague spreads because of vermin, especially rats.

You have pretty much summarized it, but from my reading this plaque has symptoms of the earlier though somehow different. Still it's the vermin and rats that seem to be the carriers. Guess it's time that the WHO has to get in there to determine what's really happening and how to assist the locals.